Beehive



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Apwifl ma M. B KNHGHTS BEEHIVE Filed Oct. 6, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l @WWWMW.

BEEHIVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 6, 1952 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 BEEHIVE Filed Oct. 6, 1952 EiLiLiLil Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT} OFFICE 1 Claim.

The object of the invention is to provide a beehive construction in which the conventional hive is employed in conjunction with the improvement constituting the invention, soas to provide with the conventional hive a series of comb chambers arranged in quincuncial form, into the surrounding chambers of which the bees will expand during hot days; to provide a hive construction that makes for increased production of honey in that the surrounding chambers of the quincunx afford chambers for the field bees which, during the night, will transfer the honey to the combs in those chambers and by their movement will create a current of air to keep the brood chamber cool, which brood chamber, in the new organization, comprises the conventional hive; and generally to provide a hive combination which is of simple form, susceptible of cheap manufacture and which makes for the most effective handling of the bees on the part of the apiarist.

vWith this object in View, the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention with the parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view.

Figure 3 is a collective perspective view of the several parts comprising the invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cover of the outer or telescoping member of the hive.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the inner cover of the outer or telescoping member.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the telescoping member.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the bottom board of the outer or telescoping member, showing the bottom board of the conventional hive positioned thereon.

The invention comprises an outer or telescoping member Iii for disposition upon its own bottom board I I in surrounding relation to the conventional hive I2, the bottom board II being bounded with the marginal boards I4 to position it above the supporting surface to leave an air space between it and said surface. Cleats I5 are disposed upon the bottom board i I and serve as a means for positioning the bottom board It of the hive I2 which likewise has marginal bounding boards I! to position it above its supporting surface. The cleats l5 definitely position the bottom board I6 on the bottom board II and a dead air space I8 is thus provided between the two bottom boards.

The outer member I0, on the interior, at the corners is provided with fillers I 9 formed of suitable thin boards defining chambers in which is received suitable packing. The space comprehended between the hive body I2 and the outer member IE] is, by means of the fillers, divided into four chambers it which together with the chamber defined by the hive provide the quincuncial arrangement of chambers.

The comb frames 2I are supported in the inner hive body in the conventional manner and the chambers 28 are employed as comb chambers, comb frames 22 being disposed in these chambers and supported in the rabbets 23 formed. at the upper edges of the. fillers I9.

An inner or supplemental cover 24, preferably of metal, rests on the upper edge of the outer member Is and closes the chambers 20 at the top, this inner cover member being formed with a central opening through which the hive body I2 projects, this opening being bounded with an upstanding marginal flange 25 which lies against the side wall of the hive body.

An outer cover member 26 rests on top of the inner cover member and is metal covered as indicated at 2?, the cover member 26 being provided with a marginal flange 28 which, when the cover is placed in position, is arranged in surrounding relation to the outer member Ill at the upper end. The metal cover member 27 is ofiset to lie on the upper edge of the hive body as indicated at 29, so that the cover 30 for the hive body, when placed in position, will lie on top of the metal cover 21. The cover member 3| which is metal covered as indicated at 32 is marginally flanged as indicated at 33, this flange being disposed in surrounding relation to the cover 30 and in surrounding relation to the metal cover mem ber 2?, where it is offset to embrace the upper end of the hive body Iii. Thus the cover members, by the peculiar association of the parts, are precluded from displacement except by being raised.

Communication between the inner chamber defined by the hive body Itl and the chambers 20 is eiiected through the openings 34 which, in the use of the conventional hive, constitute entrance openings to the hive. The entrance to the improved hive is through an opening 35 formed by means of a slot cut in the crossbar 36 disposed on the bottom board I I of the outer member.

In use, the queen bee will remain in the inner chamber defined by the hive body Ill, and the field bees will enter the hive through the openings 35, thence passing into the inner chamber defined by the hive body II], from which they will pass through the openings 34 into the chambers 20 and, during the cool temperature of the night, will transfer the honey to the combs mounted in the chambers 20, those remaining within the inner chamber depositing the honey on the combs mounted therein. In the fall when the bees will move into the brood chamber defined by the hive body [0, the comb frames are removed from the north and west chambers 20 and the entrances 34 from these chambers into the inner chamber are closed. The entrance on the east side is left open for feeding in that particular chamber 20, however. After feeding is over, this entrance is closed and the combs removed from all the chambers 20 and they are filled with packing material for the winter, the packing in that chamber 20 with which the entrance 35 communicates being so arranged, however, as to leave the entrance 35 open.

The general construction of the parts is such that they may be readily assembled and disassembled, or moved or shifted to facilitate the carrying out of the necessary operations attending bee culture.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

In combination with a hive, a bottom board of larger area than the latter and upon which the hive is seated, an outer member disposed in surrounding relation to the hive and seated upon the bottom board, fillers disposed in the corners of the outer member to define in combination with the latter and with the hive a plurality of comb frame receiving chambers in surrounding rela tion to the hive and in communication with the latter through the entrance openings of the same, a cover member for the outer member and having an opening through which the upper end of the hive extends, and a separate cover member for the hive.

HAROLD BURBANK KNIGHTS. 

